LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD      

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Tuesday, October 6, 1998 6:00 p.m.

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, October 6, 1998 at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Lincoln Parish School Board Office, 410 South Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were Mr. David Wright, Mr. Billy Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Wayne Barfield, Dr. Marty Beasley, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Joe Mitcham, Mr. Rob Shadoin, and Mr. Allen Tuten.

Absent was Mr. Calvin Wilkerson.

President David Wright called the meeting to order and Mr. Mitcham gave the invocation. Mr. Wright led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and welcomed guests, members of the official staff and of the press. He congratulated all members of the Board who are to return for service for four more years following the recent election.

Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as distributed.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on September 1, 1998 as printed.

Interim Secondary Supervisor, Mr. Randy Moore, reviewed the background information and selection process on the Teacher of the Year program. Each of the following 98-99 parish winners were presented with a plaque of appreciation on behalf of the Board for their excellence and hard work:

            Dr. Jerry Johnson - A. E. Phillips - elementary division

            Susan Hogue - Ruston Junior High - junior high division

            Tamara Lee - Ruston High School - high school division

Mr. Wright commended the Teachers of the Year and wished them well as they pursue further honors in the regional and state competitions.

Mr. Wright announced that this was the time specified for a public hearing regarding an increase in tax millages for 1998. Hearing no comments or questions, he returned to the agenda.

"A primary goal for education in Louisiana is to provide the students with opportunities to develop skills that will send them into the 21st Century well prepared to meet the demands of a global economy," Ms. Barbara Kirkland, Vocational Supervisor, stated. During the 1997 Legislative session, lawmakers recognized that students must have a comprehensive plan in place in order to address this goal for education preparedness. As a result, the Career Option Law (Act 1124) which mandates the implementation of five year educational plans for all high school students by the year 2006 was signed by Governor Foster. The Law also acknowledges that career awareness must begin early in a student's education and stipulates that the guidance process will include grades 6-8. Each student in the middle school will have an opportunity to participate in six career awareness activities each year with the culmination of these activities resulting in the development of a flexible, five-year educational plan. To meet the mandates of the Law, Lincoln Parish joined with the other 11 Northeast Louisiana parishes that comprise the North Louisiana Education Consortium (NLEC) Learn for the 21st Century to design a career options plan to offer high school students a challenging program of study with an upgraded academic core and a choice of career majors and provide career awareness activities for middle school students. Ms. Kirkland requested approval of their plan.

Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted to approve the Curricular Design Plan that has been developed by the NLEC to meet the mandate of Act 1124.

Director of Auxiliary Service, Mr. Charles Owens, submitted a list of three vehicles, '78 Chevrolet Impala, '79 Chevrolet pickup, and an '85 Ford utility van, which are of no further use to that Board along with the recommendation that they be declared as surplus and disposed of through the bid process.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Shadoin, the Board unanimously voted to declare the three vehicles as surplus and grant permission to dispose of them through the bid process.

The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were discussed:

Mr. Ronnie Suggs, Assistant Superintendent, presented items 1.- 4., Ms. Brenda Theodos, School Food Service Supervisor, presented 5.-7., and Mr. Charles Owens presented 8.

1.         Retirement of Special Education Supervisor, Sharon Thomas, effective February 1, 1999.

2.         Rescission of sabbatical for the second semester of 98-99 for Stephanie Sisemore, teacher at Glen View Elementary.

3.         Resignation, effective September 30, 1998, of Cathi Cox, science teacher at Choudrant High.

4.         Employment of the following:

            Barbara Einsel, effective September 14, 1998, in a new teaching position at Choudrant Elementary.

            Mechele Jackson as science teacher at Choudrant High replacing Cathi Cox who resigned effective October 1, 1998.

            Ramona Adams, effective September 18, 1998, in a new special education teaching position at Hico Elementary.

5.         Points of Reference (Transfers) of the following School Food Service personnel:

            Dana Culpepper from Cypress Springs, effective September 23, 1998 to clerk as Ruston Elementary replacing Denise Thomas who resigned.

            Ramona Turner from clerk at Hillcrest to manager at Hillcrest, effective September 30, 1998 replacing Joyce Pesnell who resigned.

            Darcie Flowers from Ruston Junior High to clerk at Hillcrest replacing Ramona Turner who transferred to Manager, effective September 30, 1998.

6.         Resignations of the following School Food Service personnel:

            Denise Thomas as clerk at Ruston Elementary, effective October 2, 1998.

            Joyce Pesnell, effective October 16, 1998 as manager at Hillcrest.

7.         Employment, effective October 1, 1998 of the following School Food Service personnel:

            Mary Boston as technician at Ruston Junior High replacing Darcie Flowers who transferred.

            Wendy Dotson as 4 hour technician at Cypress Springs replacing Mary Boston who transferred.

8.         Employment of Brenda Williams, effective October 1, 1998 as custodial at Glen View replacing Sharon Marshall who retired.

Upon a motion by Mr. Barfield, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel requests and recommendations.

Ms. Juanita Duke, Business Manager, told the Board that sales tax collections are leveling off because construction in the parish has leveled off. The 1967 and 1979 sales tax collections for September were $288,028.43 which is a 3.39% increase over last month. Collections for the year are up $144,830.02 in those two funds which is a 17.43% increase. Collections for the month in the 1993 fund were $172,816.72 which is an increase of $5,666.08 over the same month last year. That fund is up $86,897.88 for the year. The percentages are the same. Recovered from audits is about 20.82% of last years total with $5,687.04 being recovered during September which brings the total to $19,297.57.

Ms. Duke went over the financial statement for July, 1998. She called attention to the fund balances in each of the accounts. No salary expenditures are reflected except for twelve month employees. New school year salaries will begin to be subtracted in September.

Superintendent Gerald Cobb reported that the annual Academic Awards Banquet has been scheduled for Monday, November 16, 1998, at the Ruston Civic Center. Guest speaker for the event will be Dr. Dan Reneau, President of Louisiana Tech University. No vote was taken as this was shared for informational purposes only.

At the previous meeting of the Board on September 1, 1998, revised School Year, School Day, School Superintendent, Substitute Teachers, Professional Personnel Hiring and Sabbatical policies were distributed. A new Board Member Continuing Education policy was also presented. Superintendent Cobb recommended approval of the revised policies and the new policy.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Dr. Beasley, the Board unanimously voted to approve the revised School Year, School Day, School Superintendent, Substitute Teachers, Professional Personnel Hiring and Sabbatical policies and the new Board Member Continuing Education policy.

Ms. Duke reminded the Board of their adoption of a resolution levying millages for 1998 at the July 7, 1998 meeting. This resolution was based on the assessed value of property remaining the same as or greater in 1998 than in 1997, as has been the case in years past. This year, unfortunately, the assessor's reassessment resulted in a reduced valuation of property for some tax rolls because of changes in Louisiana Tax Commission guidelines in oil and gas properties and public services valuations. This means, in her opinion, that the Board must increase or "roll-up" millages for 1998 in order to receive the same amount of revenues received in 1997. She asked the Board to adopt another resolution to revise the levy of millages for 1998.

Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted by roll call to adopt the resolution revising the levy of millages on the 1998 assessment roll for Lincoln Parish as follows:

            I.          Parishwide

                        A.        4.99 Mills Constitutional Tax

                        B.        5.14 Mills Special Repair & Equipment Tax

                        C.        5.14 Mills Special Maintenance & Operation Tax

                        D.        12.09 Mills Parishwide Maintenance & Operation Tax

            II.          District Taxes - For Bond and Interest Fund

                        A.        17.00 Mills Ruston School District #1

                        B.        18.20 Mills Simsboro School District #3

                        C.        -0- Mills Dubach School District #5

                        D.        28.00 Mills Choudrant School District #6

            III.         District Taxes - Maintenance and Operation

                        A.        3.01 Mills Ruston School District #1

                        B.        3.19 Mills Simsboro School District #3

                        C.        3.33 Mills Dubach School District #5

Voting by roll call for the above motion were: Billy Abrahm, Otha Anders, Wayne Barfield, Dr. Marty Beasley, Curtis Dowling, Jim Kessler, George Mack, Joe Mitcham, Rob Shadoin, Allen Tuten, and David Wright.

Voting against the motion: None.

Absent and not voting: Calvin Wilkerson.

The suspension without pay of a custodial worker was the first item to be addressed. The employee was not present at the meeting and Mr. Owens recommended that the Board go into executive session.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to go into executive session at 6:45 p.m.

Upon a motion by Mr. Tuten, seconded by Mr. Shadoin, the Board unanimously voted to return to regular session at 7:03 p.m.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Dr. Beasley, the Board voted 10-1 to uphold the recommendation of the administration to suspend a custodial worker for two weeks without pay. Mr. Abrahm was the lone dissenting vote.

Another custodial worker's suspension was to be considered by the Board and he was also absent from the meeting. Again, Mr. Owens recommended that the Board go into executive session.

Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Barfield, the Board unanimously voted to enter into executive session at 7:06 p.m.

Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted to return to regular session at 7:18 p.m.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to uphold the administration's recommendation of 2 weeks suspension without pay of a custodial worker.

The final personnel item involved the suspension without pay of a bus driver. The employee, Shirley Dring, was present and stated that she preferred an open session. She had Jean Hendricks of the Bus Driver's Association with her at the meeting.

Interim Transportation Supervisor, James Payton, briefly reviewed each item included in his information packet regarding bus driver, Shirley Dring, concerning an incident in the Lincoln Center parking lot on September 2, 1998. Mr. Wright allowed several minutes for all parties to read the packet. Mr. Payton then gave a step-by-step account of the incident including eye witness accounts and actions taken following the incident. He concluded with the recommendation of suspension for three without pay of Shirley Dring with the pay to be taken from two consecutive checks. Reasons specified were: 1) poor judgement for driving in a careless manner between parked cars with an abutted wheelchair located within its path and 2) lack of concern or consideration and poor attitude toward the parent, safety of the child in the wheelchair and the handicapped students riding bus #81.

Ms. Dring offered rebuttal to some of Mr. Payton's comments and shared her thoughts about the incident and her previous experience as a bus driver. Ms. Hendricks requested that the Board consider not withholding pay but simply upholding the suspension if considered necessary.

Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to accept the administration's recommendation of suspension for three weeks without pay of Shirley Dring. Mr. Tuten suggested that one week of pay be withheld from each pay check for the next three consecutive pay periods and the Board agreed with the suggestion.

Superintendent Gerald Cobb informed Board members that an employee has filed a grievance and a decision needs to be made. They could vote to approve or disprove his recommendation based on documentation which had been provided in packets or choose to hear the employee's presentation and then make a recommendation.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Shadoin, the Board voted 7-3 by a show of hands vote to hear from the employee. Mr. Barfield, Mr. Dowling, and Mr. Tuten voted against the motion. President Wright did not vote.

Mr. Wright asked the employee if an open or closed session was desired and she indicated that a closed session was her choice.

Upon a motion by Mr. Shadoin, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to enter into executive session at 8:47 p.m.

Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted to return to regular session at 9:00 p.m.

Upon a motion by Mr. Tuten, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to postpone the matter until a subsequent meeting. The meeting date will be determined by the Superintendent and the aggrieved party.

In the Report of the Superintendent he told the Board that:

            1)         The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, at Dubach High School at 12:30.

            2)         Several responses from Congress regarding the Board's stand on social security's monetary woes have been received. He predicts that this will be a big issue.

            3)         If complaints are received about Ruston High School's phone system, they may be legitimate. They are experiencing some problems which will be corrected as soon as possible.

After brief comments, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.

Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary

David Wright, President